Christmas Twinkle Lights Made By Chinese Christian Slaves

American Vintage Bubble Lights - Inexpensive

Lights Made by Slaves

Many people of the 21st century create their own innovative Christmas traditions for a variety of reasons: They have left home and married, with kids of their own, and need something to call their nuclear family's own at the Holiday Season. Others do this in order to escape the chain of dysfunctional holiday behavior and commercialism, and this is a smart thing to do.

Perhaps some folks have no family and are the last of their tribe altogether, so they do something unique. Some go on vacations to tropical climates from Christmas to New Year's and have fun alone or with friends. They make new friends on Grand Cayman Island or in Iceland. Or, they stay home and volunteer in Holiday soup kitchens.

There are many things to do during the period between Thanksgiving and January 6 in America, that there are plenty of choices. Enjoy Commercial Christmas or Christian Christmas - celebrate one, both, or none. It would just be nice if the choosers of each the three options would refrain from criticizing the choosers of any of the others.

Like bad TV, if you don't like it, don't watch it.

Source

Some people travel to Israel in December to see what it's all about. Amazingly, Jewish Temples and the Wailing Wall, The Holy Sepulcher (the reported empty tomb of Jesus) and the Mosque of the Rock (where Abraham did not have to sacrifice his son Isaac) sit in the same vicinity -- Three major religions - Jewish, Christian, Muslim - one place. More interesting is the tradition that traces Judaism back to Abraham's son Isaac and the Muslim foundations back to Isaac's half brother Ishmael. Some Jews today are saying, "We were given the land, the Arab/Muslim countries were given the oil, and we must learn to get along." I think that beats nuclear catastrophe.

Yearly, extremists travel to the Mosque and try to build a tent on top of it in order to reconstruct the Hebrew Temple (originally a large tent) on the spot where the Mosque now stands in order to usher in the final stages of the End of Days. On New Year's Eve 1999, heavy security and police enforcement were necessary, because the extremists dedicated themselves to building the temple made from a tent. I marveled at the TV coverage of a small portion of that scenario on one of the Christian networks.The tent builders failed at the end of 1999 and they have failed every year since that time...

This yearly scene may seem amazing and even ludicrous, but it is interesting.

Source

The Chinese Christmas Light Industry

One of the biggest religious and Christmas related atrocities is that of the slavery of Chinese Christians in some parts of China and their enforced slave work of assembling strings of tiny Christmas lights by hand, without tools, for 14 hours a day.

These lights are sold by the thousands in American stores, often for as low as $1.00 a box for a string of 35 lights at Big Lots. Usually these boxes of lights cost $3.00 - $4.00 each in the 2010s. The Chinese slaves who make them are paid nothing and barely have one meal a day.

In Sudan

In Sudan, when a Sudanese person declares themselves Christian, their arms are often cut off by the government's soldiers -- Imagine losing your arms because you celebrate a Christian Christmas.. Our church has sent missionaries there for years to help fight this atrocity, but more help is needed. The film footage sent back to us is horrific.

American Made Christmas Lights Are Available

This year and every year hereafter, if you purchase Christmas lights, why not purchase from America manufacturers? Purchase vintage and current American Made lights, or go with another form of decoration entirely.

Some of the only American Made Christmas lights that are currently in production are available through a Florida company called The Lights Before Christmas at their website or try them at their street address at

Thomas Edison Christmas Light Catalogue - 1890

Cheap Lights Cheapen Lives

The first Christmas tree lighted with small lights was reportedly lit in 1882 by an associate of Thomas Edison.

By 1966, the final large American manufacturer of Christmas lights went bankrupt - just 84 years later.

The few remaining manufacturers of Christmas lights in America in the 21st century are expensive in their products..

Lights produced in China are cheap, but those produced in the US and countries outside the USA besides China are generally more expensive or very expensive.

I will think about China and Sudan when I see lights at Christmas.

Hebrews 13:3 Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

New Traditions

I like to celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas, attend an Orthodox candlelight celebration, enjoy 12th Night, and participate in some of the trappings of Mardi Gras that begin on 12th Night - I love to make the Masks - without purchasing lights or other goods that have resulted from the inhumane treatment of workers or the use of slaves.

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Interesting article. I love those old bubble lights too. Thank you for the article.

Vicariously Yours 8 years ago from Fort Collins, CO

Thanks for bringing the Chinese slavery connection to our attention, Patty. Sort of takes a lot of the shine out of the strings of lights we buy--without putting much thought into it--every year. And it also drives home an important point: "the reason for the season," for most American retailers, isn't the birth of Christ, or even good will toward men; it's the"bottom line." They'll make their bucks any way they can, even at the expense of human bondage. Sad. Sadder when most of us aren't aware of it, which is the case most often, I think. Thanks for helping to change that.

Bill Campbell

Stacie Naczelnik 8 years ago from Seattle

Wow, Patty, I had no idea. This is a reminder to be knowledgeable about the items you choose to buy.

Patty Inglish, MS 8 years ago from North America Author

Netters - Bubble lights are great and a good memory for me.

Stacie and Vicariously Yours - I almost did not do a Christmas Hub - I've done so many on traditions and cultures at Christmas - but I thought people should be made aware of this. I'm glad you read it. Thanks for reading.

Patty

KT pdx 8 years ago from Vancouver, WA, USA

I, too, had no idea. I'm guilty of buying "made in China" lights. From now on, I won't do that anymore. :( Thank you!

Patty Inglish, MS 8 years ago from North America Author

Good for you, KT pdx!

Shirley Anderson 8 years ago from Ontario, Canada

I know a couple of other people have already said this, but I honestly had absolutely no idea!! That explains how they can sometimes sell them so cheaply. Well, the price is low for us, very high for those who made them.

Holy war....shouldn't that be an oxymoron? I consider it an atrocity, myself. The two words should never go together. It breaks at least one commandment, if nothing else.

msms 8 years ago

Dear Patty Inglish, MS;

Very thoughtful analysis, well researched. Great Patty Inglish

Mahendra Singh

Patty Inglish, MS 8 years ago from North America Author

Hi Shirley - Thanks for visiting with me here! I didn't want to dampen holiday spirits, but I did want to put out the word. We can celebrate without financing this horror.

msms - Thank you so much for your support!

guidebaba 8 years ago from India

I love to put those LED Lights for the reason that they consume less electricity and save some money for me and some power for my country. They are also cheaper and look great.

Patty Inglish, MS 8 years ago from North America Author

That is excellent, especially if they are not made in China.

C.S.Alexis 8 years ago from NW Indiana

Thank you for pointing this out. It brightens my holiday to know that I do not have to be a part to this ill treatment of other people. C.S.

Patty Inglish, MS 8 years ago from North America Author

Thank you CS! I think we can make a difference.

funride 8 years ago from Portugal

Personally I still prefer candles (specialy if made in Portugal) :D

Now seriously, I´m very concern about those atrocities and I would like to remember about the danger of short circuit by those low quality Chinese Christmas lights.

sixtyorso 8 years ago from South Africa

As a child we had real lights (like your bubble lights). Long after they stopped working, as they were individually blown and hand painted, we cut them off the string and used them,individually, as part of our traditional Xmas tree decorations for many years, until they broke or finally got lost amongst the bric-a-brac that was no longer suitable for the tree.

Interesting hub evoking long lost memories.

Just_Rodney 8 years ago from Johannesberg South Africa, The Gold Mine City

Patty, thanks for highlighting the attrocities which abound in the world. It is a tragedy that we cannot tolerate anothers right to practise religion. The worst is the enslavement of protesters to use in factories and the like for gain.

Man's intolerance towards one another, it is very suspect!

Unfortunatly, we in South Africa have become a major dumping ground for all these types of goods. From China as well as other major european countries who need to off load substandrd and even condemned goods.

They land here by container after container, at our docks, distributed by a network of unemployed, being both the locals as well as illegals, which stand at every street corner peddling these items with counterfete sunglasses, movie DVD's and sundry items of clothing.

This, as well as a myriad of other attrocities carried out, all in the great persuit of MONEY, MONEY.

sixtyorso 8 years ago from South Africa

Patti I think a whole hub on chinese (and other exploitive) labour practices and the markets that are being flooded with sub-standard goods from electrical appliances to motor vehicles

Just_Rodney 8 years ago from Johannesberg South Africa, The Gold Mine City

Maybe we should suggest that for next week hubmob topic!

Patty Inglish, MS 8 years ago from North America Author

Thanks for all the comments in support of thinking about this situation and the exploitation occuring around the world. A Hubmob attack on substandard good would be ideal if we could get enough participants - there are so many untold stories we need to hear.

Thanks for sharing all of your experiences, sixty, funride, Just_Rodney.

I like candles better, too, actually, and have made some.

Patty

WeddingConsultant 8 years ago from DC Metro Area

Patty, thanks for telling me about this hub through facebook- it's a great read and an important subject.

Unfortunately, child slave labor is rampant in two out of the three largest countries (in terms of population) in the world- China and India. Please continue to push awareness of the topic by using the medium of hubs!

Patty Inglish, MS 8 years ago from North America Author

WeddingConsultant - Thanks for your input; I appreciate it very much. I was appalled that I'd not found out about these things sooner, and will continue to speak out about them.

Patty

guidebaba 8 years ago from India

I just HATE Chinese Products. I Purchased few Chinese Products and Got few as Gifts but they all made my life Miserable.

Patty Inglish, MS 8 years ago from North America Author

I hope you receive better gifts form now on, guidebaba!

lilmnstr 6 years ago from Phoenix, AZ

"War is hell, but holy war is worse. The perpetrators of religious atrocities are wrong."

Across all religions and beliefs. I agree!

Amercian made all the way!

tangoshoes 6 years ago

Crazy. Our culture is nutty sometimes.

kashmir56 5 years ago from Massachusetts

Great hub Patty, a real eye opener, we should stop buying Chinese Products. I have a set of those beautiful Vintage Bubble Lights, there awesome!

Great hub!!! Thumbs up!!!

Wowmm 5 years ago

Thank you for this page, I'm 53 and have had one wonderful Christmas celebration since becoming an adult, and it was a celebration with no one I was related to! Christmas, for me, is the celebration of mankind's enslavement - the word family is for me a swear word - and after 22 years, my sentance is over for wanting to have kids! This year both my girls moved out! I celebrate on the 21st, and Iceland is a country that when given the choice of either becoming Christian or being destroyed, opted for becoming officially Christian, but privately remained what they were, and still pray to Thor. I'm looking at a trip to Iceland during the holiday season! Thanks!

Lord De Cross 4 years ago

No wonder it was so cheap. Enslaved workers in China and even Sudan do not need my bucks. Thanks for the update Patty! Great info and wonderful history.

Sunnie Day 4 years ago

WOW! This was such a great hub. Many including myself need to read this over a couple times. I had no idea about the Christmas lights but then it should not have surprise me. You have offered an awareness that cannot be so quickly dismissed . I love Hebrews and the verse you quoted is perfect. Thank you Patty,

Sunnie

Anil and Honey 4 years ago from Kerala

In India LED become more populated, It power consumption is less that is the main advantages of LED. Chinese products are available all over the world.

Michele Travis 4 years ago from U.S.A. Ohio

This is a very good hub. Why should we make Christmas inhumane? If we buy these lights, we ( even if we don't know it) are enforcing slavery. Let's make sure we are buying Christmas lights made here in America. Next time I buy lights, I will make sure they are made here. And thank you for the links you put in your hub, that will help us find them. We can buy them online with just to make sure.

Voted up.

btrbell 4 years ago from Mesa, AZ

Wow! I didn't know this! Whenever I read something like this I want to first say, thank you, second, kick myself for not being more diligent in researching where certain products are made and third, spread the word! Thank you, I will do all three! Great and important information

Patty Inglish, MS 4 years ago from North America Author

Thasnk you rfor the comments, Everyone, and for spreading the word on this. I first heard of this on a news radio program a few years ago, and then read about it in a Seattle news paper. Havig ust a couple strongs of these lights, I threw them all out. American lights are a bit more expensive for the samw sting of lights, but can be pretty pricey with large bulbs for outside on the roof. It pays to shop around some.

jonijolene 3 years ago

Dear Patty,

I have recently become more aware of the situation in China. I watched a documentary "Death by China". It was very enlightening and as a result of this and much research into the issue my family is committed to only buy made in the U.S.A. products if at all possible. I came across this post while I was searching for American made Christmas lights. I tried the website, thelightofchristmas.com, that you posted and it doesn't work. I have been unable to find ANY company in the states that manufactures ANY KIND of lightbulb. I was wondering if you have any more info on this company you mentioned. I will continue to search, perhaps using different search engines (not google, yahoo, etc.) I am not only looking for Christmas lights but light bulbs for our everyday lighting as well. Thank you for your post and your time.

Patty Inglish, MS 3 years ago from North America Author

Egad! I am glad you alerted me about this, jonijolene. The domain is for sale now so they went out of business.

I just found that Bronners in Frankenmuth no longer even has any American Made lights. What happened to the USA and Christmas Lights? I will keep looking, though.